Las Vegas Walk of Stars
Entertainment honors in Las Vegas, Nevada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Las Vegas Walk of Stars is a walk of fame along the Las Vegas Strip, located in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester, Nevada. It was established to honor prominent Las Vegas figures, including entertainers. Wayne Newton was the first to receive a star on the Walk of Stars, in a ceremony taking place on October 26, 2004.
 | |
| Established | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Location | Las Vegas Strip, Paradise/Winchester, Nevada |
| Type | Entertainment walk of fame |
| Website | Official website |
Other stars have since been added for entertainers such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., David Cassidy, Liberace, Rich Little, and Siegfried & Roy. As of 2022, the Walk of Stars had issued over 100 stars, although more than half of these had been removed several years earlier, when the county installed security bollards along the Strip.
History
In October 2003, the city of Las Vegas entered an agreement with Clear Channel Entertainment, in which the latter would produce events to celebrate the city's centennial anniversary in 2005. Among the proposals was to create an attraction in downtown Las Vegas inspired by the Hollywood Walk of Fame,[1][2][3] although this ultimately went unbuilt. During 2004, a different walk of fame project along the Las Vegas Strip was negotiated between Clark County and the Motion Picture Hall of Fame Foundation. The latter oversaw the Palm Springs Walk of Stars and would also do so for the proposed Las Vegas Walk of Stars.[4]
The project was approved by the Clark County Commission in August 2004.[5][6] It would honor important figures associated with Las Vegas history, including prominent entertainers.[7][8] The project would add stars along both sides of the Strip sidewalk, from the Sahara resort at the north end of the Strip to Mandalay Bay at the south end.[5][9] At the time, each star and its accompanying ceremony cost a total of $15,000, a fee covered by sponsors such as friends, family, and fan clubs. The stars are made of polished granite and weigh 180 pounds.[4][5][9] Exact site selection along the Strip is chosen by the sponsors for each star.[10] A committee met monthly to propose potential new stars for the project.[9][11] The star fee had increased to $25,000 as of 2022.[12]
Singer Wayne Newton was the first person to receive a star on the Walk of Stars, in a ceremony taking place on October 26, 2004.[13][10] Entertainer Liberace and female impersonator Frank Marino were the next to receive stars, both in February 2005.[11] In 2010, Marino became the first person to have earned induction into the Walk of Stars twice,[14] while Cuban-American musicians Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan were the first couple recognized, who shared a star. In 2011, Mexican power couple Jenni Rivera and Esteban Loaiza were the second to be recognized by the attraction.[15]
A county project began in November 2017 to install security bollards along the Strip sidewalk, removing 49 of 82 stars in the process, including those of Newton, Liberace, and Marino. The cost to put the stars back in place would have been $250,000. Efforts were underway to seek out a permanent location for the Walk of Stars project,[16][17] and financing was later sought to return the missing stars.[18]
Bob Alexander, president of the Las Vegas Walk of Stars since its inception, died from pneumonia in September 2020, at the age of 77. His role was taken over by vice president Marilyn Ball, mother of actress Lindsay Wagner.[12][19] As of 2022, the Walk of Stars had issued more than 100 stars.[12]
